Standout Freshmen and Sophomore Guards at PGH250
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If there is one theme that came out of the PGH 250 event its that the 2025 class is going to be well represented on the high school courts across the State this season. The 2025 class has some special…
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Continue ReadingIf there is one theme that came out of the PGH 250 event its that the 2025 class is going to be well represented on the high school courts across the State this season. The 2025 class has some special “Bigs” and guards who will make some noise this upcoming season. In this article, we look at the standout guards of the 2025 Florida Expo showcase.
Samantha Bautista Samantha Bautista 5'7" | CG SLAM! (Miami) | 2025 State FL / 2025 / 5’6 PG / Slam Miami
Bautista was a standout at the PGH Expo. The guard was so composed on the court you forget that she is only a Sophomore. At PGH Expo she had the full game on display. She shot the three-point shot well and when she wasn’t knocking it down from three she was taking it to the goal. She is shifty and can quickly change direction. She knows how to freeze the defense with hesitation moves and then blow by for the layup. She was a standout and one of the best playmakers in the building.
Briana Gill-Guyette / 2025 / 5’4 PG / Sumner
Gill-Guyette was a standout at the showcase. If there is one thing about the lefty, she plays fast on the court and can get up and down the court in a hurry. She had a nice float game in her repertoire and also got to the rim with her quickness. Gill-Guyette also showed playmaking abilities. She is not a selfish player and will dish the rock to an open teammate. She has good court vision and she is always looking to advance the ball down the court. Defensively, she was quick to the spot. To drive past Guillette, the guard has to have elite quickness and handles.
Jiyah Hamilton Jiyah Hamilton 5'2" | PG Forest | 2025 State FL / 2025 / 5’2 G / The Villages
Hamilton had an impressive showing at the Expo. She always gives it one hundred percent and therefore, she has a knack for being in the right place on the court. Hamilton shot it well from the outside and even scored it on the inside during the Expo. She runs the floor well and her speed gives her a plus in the transition game and also aids her on the defensive end as well. On the wing, Hamilton defended players much taller than she was, but she was not hindered by the difference in height. If anything, she was inspired. Hamilton continues to impress on the basketball court with her tangibles and her intangibles.
Asya Lara Barnes / 2025 / 6’0 SG
Barnes was definitely a standout at the showcase. She stands out at the guard position and at 6’0 tall, she stands over most guards as well. Barnes can run the court, she can drive the ball, and she can shoot the ball. She knocked down several threes and shot it well from all over the court. . Barnes has great court vision and was throwing dimes during the showcase. She made a halfcourt no-look pass to a cutting player from halfcourt and folks are still talking about the play. Barnes can play multiple positions on the court, offensively and defensively. At the expo, she was down at the bottom in the zone defenses at defending on the wing in man-to-man defense.
Savannah Ferguson /2025 / 5’9 G / Seminole
Ferguson was one of the best shooters in the building. Ferguson can create her own shot and also shoot the ball off of the catch. Ferguson’s shooting ability garners a lot of respect and she is able to get to the goal as a result. She has good court vision and can advance the ball up the court. Ferguson made some good passes to open teammates, but her main objective was to do what shooting guards do – shoot the ball.
Olivia Staples / 2025 / 5’6 G / Freedom
Staples was one of the best shooters in the building. There was one sequence where Staples knocked down two in a row and there was a handwritten note written by her name: It read “best shooter in the house.” Staples can shoot the daylights out of the ball. She catches the ball already in a shooting position and she shoots it with great confidence. Last season she knocked down 54 threes at a rate of 40 percent.
Narissa Blocton / 2026 / 5’8 G / Ridgeview
Blocton was really impressive at the Expo and if there is one word to describe her, it’s competitive. Blocton shot the ball well from all levels on the court. She was impressive in taking the ball to the goal and putting the ball in the basket. Defensively, she showed versatility by defending the guards on the outside and defending the bigs in the paint. There weren’t many 2026 players at the Expo. Blocton represented the Freshman class well and will continue to do so this upcoming basketball season.